Pushed
by L0ve-in-the-dark407
Summary: Faint childhood memories in her mind, Serenity lives life remembering very little of her childhood. When unexpected things happen, she's forced to find a way to deal. Her past comes back unexpectedly, in more ways than one. But how big will the impacts be
1. Wasted on the young

Hey! It's l0ve in the dark. Well, I'm back for another Seto and Serenity story. This one will be a little more on the mature/smutty side, I hope that's alright.

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A very long time ago, a young woman, Min, ran away from an abusive relationship. As she ran, she brought her two children with her. Joey and Serenity were very young at the time. He was 10 and she was 7. Her husband was an abusive drunk, but he wasn't the laziest person alive. He'd search for them if need be. So, in an attempt to hide herself, Min traveled into the city with her children to look for low paying jobs. The job she would get would affect the life of her son, who would grow up with an enemy. It would also affect her daughter, who would grow up with, unbeknownst to everyone, the love of her life.

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Min Wheeler walked to the door of a very big mansion, a gold plated sign that read "Kaiba" hung above the heavy oak front doors. Each of her children held one hand as they both stared in awe at the enormous house. Slowly, the young mother raised her hand to knock. A maid, in an extraordinarily buxom outfit, answered the door. She was younger then the mother was, with long blonde hair and snow grey eyes. She looked like a mythical creature rather then a maid.

"Hello. May I help you?" the maid asked.

"Hello," Min answered, clearing her throat. "My name is Min Wheeler, and I want to ask about the available maid job here."

The other maid's eyes widened.

"You don't want this job, Miss," the girl said in a harsh whisper. "Get out of he-"

"And who might this be?" a man's voice called out from behind the door. The blonde maid's eyes widened as she turned suddenly. In the doorway stood a man, maybe in his 40's or 50's, in a stiff grey suit.

"Mr. Kaiba, I didn't expect you home so early."

"Life is full of those little surprises, isn't it?" the older man asked. He looked Min up and down, and the young mother swore, if only for a second, he licked his lips. "And who might you be?"

Min swallowed her suspicions and continued to speak. "My name is Min Wheeler, and I'd like to know if you're hiring for a maid job. I hear… uh… the pay is good."

"I'd like to think it is," the man said. "Wouldn't you agree, Ms. Yuri?"

"Yes, sir," the girl said in a small voice. The man pushed her aside, inviting Min in.

"Please, come to my office. I have time for an interview right now in fact." It seemed at only that moment that the man who wanted to so eagerly hire Min, noticed the children who were in her hands.

"And who might these children be?"

"They're my children," Min said, dropping their hands and shoving them forward. "This is Joey, he's ten. And this is my daughter, Serenity. She's seven. And I'm Min Wheeler. It's very nice to meet you, Mr. …"

"I'm Gozaburo Kaiba, the owner of this house hold. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Wheeler. May I know how old you are?"

"I'm 25," Min answered, completely oblivious to the gleam in the older man's eye.

"Well, that's just about the right age range." Gozaburo answered, placing his hand on the small of her back. "Right this way. Leave your children with Yuri. I have children about their age, they can play together."

"You have kids?" Min asked him, genuinely surprised. "You have a wife?"

"I've never been married, both my sons are adopted." Gozaburo gave Min a fake smile. "I'm not one for marriage, but I love my sons." Min disappeared into the office doors, leaving Yuri alone with little Serenity and Joey. Yuri shook her head.

"That poor lady," she mumbled under her breath. Turning to Joey, she said "Why does your mommy want to work here?"

"We need moneys," little Serenity answered, before Joe even opened his mouth.

"Ren!" the little boy exclaimed. "You're not supposed to go around saying that. What did mom tell you?!"

"It's okay," Yuri said, patting the boy on the head. "I won't say anything. I'm supposed to take you to the little Masters' rooms, aren't I?"

"There's two kids in this joint?" little Joey asked. Even at a young age, he still had his attitude. Yuri simply smiled.

"Master Mokuba is down for a nap. He's a bit younger then both of you; he's only six. I suppose I could take you to Master Seto's room. He's about your age…. Joey, isn't it?"

"Just Joe," Joe answered, though with less attitude this time. He seemed to have developed a soft spot for this maid. Yuri beckoned for the children to follow her through the endless hallways, finally stopping in front of a room. The doors were absolutely huge. Yuri knocked softly on the door.

"What?" a voice snapped from behind the door. Yuri cringed. The voice, though belonging to a young boy, was a very cold one.

"Master Seto," the young maid said in a small voice. "I have playmates for you."

"I'm very busy," the voice said from behind the door. "I have no time for playmates."

"Your father insisted I keep these children with you for a short time."

"Tell my father that I refuse the company he has offered me. Have a good day, maid."

"Master…"

"I said HAVE a good day!" the voice screamed, in what seemed like a final statement. The maid sighed.

"You mustn't mind Master Seto," she said to the children. "He's a bit of a loner. Well... I suppose that you could come to the kitchen with me. We have an excellent chef and pastry chef. Are you two hungry?"

"We're STARVING," little Serenity said, to which Joe smacked her on the head.

"REN!" he shouted at her. "What did mom tell you about looking for pity?"

"Joe, it's fine," Yuri said, patting him on the head. Little Joey blushed. "It'll be alright, there's nothing wrong with saying you're hungry. I'll feed you a little snack and I won't tell your mother, okay?" Both children nodded, following Yuri to the kitchen.

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The kitchen was bigger then any of the few homes the children had lived in all their lives. Mostly they bounced from hotel room to hotel room, rarely having a permanent living environment. That had increased ever since their mother had taken them and ran away. Yuri greeted a man who was stained with flour and what appeared to be chocolate sauce.

"These kids are hungry. Do you think we could feed them a little something?" The man smiled and nodded, indicating that all three of them sit down.

"My name's Joe," the man said, extending both hands so the kids could each shake one. He had a kind, young face and had curly brown hair. Little Joey sat up.

"That's my name!"

All the rest of the afternoon, the children ate while the maid and the chef catered to their whims. They all smiled and laughed, until finally a faint knock came to the kitchen door. Min stuck her head in the door, looking exhausted but happy.

"Hi guys," she said in a faint whisper. "Guess what? I got the job."

"That was a long interview, mom" Joey said to her as Serenity ran up and hugged her mother. "Why'd it take so long?" Min's face fell for just a second, before she covered it up with a smile.

"Well, he had a lot of questions to ask me. But all that matters is I got it, and we can live in the mansion."

"We can live here?!" Joey exclaimed, his eyes bright. "That's awesome."

"We can really live here, mommy?" little Serenity asked her mother. Min nodded, and hugged both her children tightly. Yuri just looked at the family.

"I guess you'll be moving into the servants' quarters with me," Yuri said to all of them. "When do you move in?"

"Tomorrow," Min answered. "And we should be going kids, it's getting late."

"Are you sure you want this job?" Yuri asked her, staring directly into Min's eyes. Min ignored the stare and smiled.

"Of course I do. It's everything I need."

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The day the Wheeler's moved in, their lives changed. First of all, Joey and Serenity barely ever saw their mother, since she was busy keeping the huge house in shape. There were other maids, of course, but it still was a big house that required constant attention. Second of all, Joey and Serenity weren't poor anymore. On the rare occasion their mother wasn't working, she would buy her children clothes. No more hand me down's and torn clothing. They never went without a meal anymore. And, thanks to the Kaiba connections, it was guaranteed their father would never find them. Life was surprisingly pleasant, although they never saw their mother. The beautiful young mother they had was always wearing one of those buxom maid outfits and was made up in too much make up when they saw her; she was barely recognizable to her children.

Joey and Serenity spent most of their time with Yuri, whose job was to manage the children of the household. Her job had increased from managing two children to managing four children, which she didn't seem to mind at all. After moving in, the children became instantly close to Yuri, Joe especially.

About two weeks after moving in, Serenity met the youngest of the Kaiba boys. Little Mokuba stumbled after Yuri one day while she was managing the Wheeler children. Gozaburo Kaiba insisted his children be raised by the elite, therefore not socializing with any children of the lower class. Yuri usually kept to his guidelines because it meant being summoned less and getting to keep her usual pay. But Mokuba randomly wandered into servants' quarters, his eyes tearing.

"Yuri," he said to her. "I'm hungry." Then, the young Kaiba noticed the two children sitting on each side of Yuri, who was reading them a story. "Who are you guys?" Joey was on his usual guard, but little Serenity jumped up and smiled, running to the little boy.

"I'm Serenity," she said, taking the little boys hands', which made him smile. "That's my brother, Joey. We live here now. Who are you?"

"Mokuba Kaiba," he said, shaking her hands. His introduction was so formal, it was almost comical. Yuri hurried to Mokuba, trying to shoo him out the door.

"Mokuba, I'll make some food for you in a second, but please don't' tell your father you were here."

"But I want to play with my new friends," Mokuba whined, resisting.

"Who says we're friends?" Joey asked, but Serenity shushed him. She ran up to the little boy, taking him away from Yuri's hold.

"Of course we're friends," she said, smiling at him. "It's just a secret. Okay?" Little Mokuba smiled through his teary eyes. Despite being slightly spoiled, he had a heart almost as gold as Serenity's.

"Okay."

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As the years went by, that's how life existed for the Wheelers. Serenity and Joe went to school, barely seeing their mother. Yuri basically raised the children, later on introducing them to her daughter, Mai. Joey seemed to forget his childhood crush on Yuri instantly the minute he laid eyes on her daughter. Mokuba had become their companion, as well as Serenity's best friend. He was the closest she had been to anyone besides her family, and it pained them both that they had to keep it a secret. Years passed, and all three of the children grew up wonderfully. One mystery plagued Serenity's curious mind as she grew, though; what of the older Kaiba brother?

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Serenity had been living at the Kaiba mansion for three years before she ever found that answer; she was ten. It was her brother's 13th birthday, and she and her mother planned a small party with Yuri. It would be in the kitchen, with a special dinner and some cake for desert. Unfortunately, her mother canceled last minute. She had to work extra late tonight. When Serenity asked her mother whether she could ask Mr. Kaiba for the day off, her mother shot her a death glare that sent chills down the little girl's spine. What could be so important? Yuri seemed a bit shaken too, deciding to put Serenity to bed a bit early. Mokuba, who was now nine, decided to pull out the mischievous card. Late at night, while Yuri decided to turn in early, he woke Serenity. He asked her to go exploring with him, to which she eagerly agreed. Joe slept soundly in the bed beside her, but their mother was nowhere to be found. Though Serenity loved the mansion, especially Mokuba and Yuri, to death, she wished her mother hadn't taken this job; by taking this job, it had put a permanent separation between Min and her two children.

The mansion at night was a scary sight, one Serenity wasn't sure she liked. It was so eerily quiet and full of so many antiques that Serenity wasn't sure which scared her more, the impending darkness or the fact that she might break something. Mokuba didn't seem to notice Serenity's discomfort, as he kept trudging forward.

"Mokuba," young Serenity whispered, stopping to sit on the steps. "I think we should go back to bed."

"But we just started exploring," Mokuba protested.

"Moku-"

Suddenly, a sound made both the children stop cold. It was footsteps.

"We'll get in trouble if we're caught," Mokuba whispered in rushed slurs. "We need to run."

"Split up," Serenity told him, and both the children ran in opposite directions. Serenity ran down a dark hallway she had never been down before, gasping for breath. She heard the footsteps decide to follow Mokuba instead, and she slowed her stance. Suddenly, she heard noises again. But they weren't footsteps this time, they were voices. At the end of the hallway, there was a small crack of light from a slightly open door. It was so late, who could possibly be up? She recognized one of the voices as Gozaburo Kaiba, the master of the house. With a gasp, Serenity realized who the second voice was. It was her mother. As she slowly inched toward the door, the conversation became clearer to her.

"I can't believe you tried to leave me tonight," the male voice, who she knew for sure was the Master Kaiba, said.

"I'm sorry," her mother's shaken voice answered. Silence, and then…

"Min," Gozaburo said, "you do remember the deal we made, correct?"

"Sir…"

"Well do you?"

"…yes."

"And what was that deal?"

"….You'd give my children a better life and make sure my husband never found them. You'd take care of us."

"If?"

"If… if I submitted to anything you said."

"And that included?"

"Anything you wanted, whether it be sex or not."

"That's right. Now be a good girl and strip."

The blood drained from Serenity's face. Had she heard them right?

"Sir, with all due respect, tonight is my son's 13th birthday. I was hoping to spend some time with them. I'd like to… look presentable coming to my home tonight."

"It's not your home, it's mine," the man replied simply. Serenity now slowly approached the door, and covered her mouth to hide her gasp. Her mother was on her knees beside the house master, her clothing rumpled and slightly torn in some places. Her lips were bruised and her hair was freely falling. It was like watching a falling angel begging for her life. Serenity hid in the shadows, where she was still able to see the door, and she listened.

"…very well, I shall let you go tonight. On one condition, of course."

"Anything, but just please… no sex tonight." Serenity felt her eyes well up; her mother as on the verge of crying. How long had this torture been going on? Had it been all these years? Slowly, Min Wheeler got to her feet. Gozaburo grabbed her arms, locking them behind her back with one hand. With the other, he pushed up her skirt and went inside her underwear. Serenity felt as if she might be sick; he was getting such sick pleasure out of her mother's pain. As she started to open her mouth to protest, a hand grasped her from behind and another hand silenced her.

"Quiet or your mother will get it even worse," a stony voice replied in her ear. Serenity ceased her struggle, but panicked slightly as she felt herself being pulled back into a room. As soon as she turned around, she faced a boy she had only seen in pictures around the house. A handsome boy who never smiled. Seto Kaiba.

"You're Seto Kaiba," she said, astonished.

"I'm fully aware of who I am, thank you," he told her.

"You knew he was doing this to my mother?" she whispered angrily, forgetting who she was talking to for a moment.

"And so what if I did?" the boy asked her, looking dead into her eyes. "What would you expect me to do about it?" Serenity had no answer for the boy's question.

"You can stay here tonight," the boy said, directing her toward the couch in the corner of the room. "In the morning, go back to your room. No one will catch you; I'll make sure of it." Little Serenity sat in a stunned silence as the boy went back to his computer, typing away on some kind of paper.

"Thank you," Serenity said, curling into a ball to sleep on the couch. "You're so kind."

"Never say that again," the boy snapped, and then he went back to his computer. Serenity didn't say it, but she continued to think it as she fell into the abyss of her dreams.

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Serenity never forgot how kind the older Kaiba brother had treated her, even though she never saw him again after that night. She knew what her mother was going through every time she left their small room in the servant's quarters, and it broke her heart. She never told her brother; she knew he wouldn't let it go silently. She did, however, tell Yuri. Yuri gave her a sad smile and two words. "I know."

The Wheeler children lived in the Kaiba mansion for another year before tragedy struck them once again. This time though, the damage could not hope to be saved or recovered. Joey had just turned 14, while Serenity was barely 11 years old. Yuri had woken them for a typical school day, except the children weren't going to school. The first thing Yuri said, with tears in her eyes, was how sorry she was. While Joey had tried to shake poor Yuri, Serenity wandered out of the room, toward the front of the house. In the foyer, she found a stretcher. On the stretcher was a body, but it was covered by a white sheet. All she could see was an arm that had fallen away, hanging loosely from a lifeless body on the side. Serenity drew closer, past the medical experts and paramedics. She saw Gozaburo out of the corner of her eye, and she was sure he saw her, but she ignored him. He was too preoccupied talking to the police about what had seemed to have happened here. A dozen possibilities ran through Serenity's head.

_Maybe the old maid died? She was on her death bed anyway._

_Maybe there was a terrible accident, and they're just covering the body because of disfigurements?_

_Maybe there's nothing wrong at all… maybe I'm dreaming?_

Serenity was only eleven; there was nothing bad for her to think of yet. But her walking eventually led her to stand right beside the body. She slowly reached down and supported the limp arm with her own. It was a young woman's arm, soft and smooth skinned. It was also pale… a hand she recognized very well. Serenity froze. There was no possible way…

Slowly, Serenity, with shaking hands, pulled back the sheet. Her scream must have echoed throughout the entire mansion. It made Joey and Yuri appear at her side. The paramedics and police just stared. Gozaburo Kaiba gave a steely look of anger. Beneath the sheet, was Serenity's dead mother.

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Min Wheeler had committed suicide the night before her daughter saw her on the stark, white stretcher. No one who knew Min would have been remotely calm about the news. Min was young, beautiful and full of life. She had two, beautiful children she adored and who she wanted to raise to full adulthood. People blamed the suicide on Min's past with her children's father and how she never got over being abused. It was typical; a tortured soul who had taken on too much work. In the interviews that would later hit news stands, Gozaburo Kaiba made a comment about "how sad and truly tragic" it was that she died, and how she was a hard worker and would be truly missed. It was a sick thing, this man pretending to care.

As Serenity watched the paramedics whirl her mother away, she attempted to run after them. She was speechless, ignoring Joey's calls for her to come back. She ran anyway. At the doorway, someone stepped in front of Serenity, knocking her down and knocking the wind out of her. As she fell backward, the figure caught her hand and pulled her into his arms. Serenity, exhausted from everything she had seen and found out that morning, fainted. Seto Kaiba, fourteen at the time, carried the young girl in his arms. He came to Yuri and who, he could only assume, was her brother.

"What happened?" he barked, making Yuri straighten her stance immediately.

"Her mother committed suicide, sir," she said, in an almost robotic voice.

"Who asked you to get involved in my family's business, rich boy?" Joey snarled at Kaiba.

"Your insults are petty, incorrigible, and would be preferred at another date. Thank you, mutt," Kaiba said to Joey. Joey, who was dumbstruck, flushed red from anger.

"Why you-"

"Joey," Yuri said, grabbing his fist in her calm hand. "The police want to talk to you. Be a dear; get it out of the way. Don't fight, Joey. Not today. It's an insult to your mother." Joey just looked at Yuri, and then went to the police. Kaiba then once again turned his attention to Yuri.

"How'd she do it?" he asked calmly. The things this young boy could talk about calmly astounded even the most stoic of people. Yuri swallowed.

"She slit her wrists, sir."

"Servant's quarters?"

"Out on the balcony."

"She should have just jumped," Kaiba said, shifting Serenity's weight from one arm to the other. "It would have saved the cleaning crew some anxiety."

"Seto!" Yuri exclaimed.

"Don't call me by my first name when you are not ordered to do so," Kaiba barked, and Yuri once again fell silent.

"Where does this girl sleep?" Kaiba asked, indicating to the unconscious Serenity in his arms.

"In the servant's quarters, sir," she said.

"I'll take her back to bed," Kaiba said, starting to leave. "I don't feel like being around here. God forbid I get interviewed; I don't really wish to be troubled. I assume any bed I put her on will be fine, since all the beds in the servant's quarters are exactly alike. No?" Yuri could not believe how this small boy, who she had taken care of for such a long time, had turned out. Cold hearted and calculating; intricate about everything. He'd be a great man of power one day. Unfortunately, he'd be just as his adopted father wanted him to. Under different circumstances, with different people, was it possible for this boy to be a totally different person? It was something Yuri had always pondered.

"Yes, sir," Yuri answered, watching him ascend up the staircase. "Take her anywhere you please."

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Kaiba waltzed into the servant's quarters, disgusted at how close the beds were and how little room there was. It was unlivable, in his opinion. Realizing he did not want to be there long, he laid the young girl down on the first bed he saw. She looked so peaceful, almost like a fallen angel. He felt a twinge of pity for her; she just got life ripped away in a heart beat. Nothing would ever be the same for her again. As he turned to leave, he cast one last glance at the young girl.

"Good luck, Wheeler."

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After Min died, there was an issue of who would get her children. After a long, brooding custody battle, Yuri got custody of the two kids. When Joey would turn sixteen, he and a somewhat reluctant Yuri made a deal. Joey would become emancipated, balancing school and a job and taking care of his sister. Yuri knew that he could do it; there was no doubt in her mind. It just seemed to make their life harder, and she didn't want that. But Joey explained he loved her too much to be her burden for four more years, so he would shorten it to two. Yuri gave in; the only rule she ever gave Joey was to stay away from Mai while they were in the house. Yuri decided to move out of the Kaiba mansion and its good pay when she saw that she was going to take care of more then just her daughter. She started to work at a local hotel; which was not better money wise but definitely better for her soul. The children seemed happier about it. The car was packed a week after Min died. As Serenity stuffed the last of her things into the back of Yuri's car, she took one last look at the vast Kaiba mansion. When she had told Mokuba she was leaving, the best friends had cried together. It was unbearable; they had been together for so long. But Yuri had to get the children out while she could; neither of them seemed to realize the profound affect the house had on people. Yuri never brought up the issue of what their mother had gone through while living at the Kaiba house; Joey remained in the dark and Serenity remained quiet. She never brought up the suicide again either and both Wheeler children were happy to abide. When Serenity looked out the back of the car window as it drove away, she saw a very tearful Mokuba waving goodbye to her through the living room window. With a sad smile, Serenity waved back. She glanced up, and was shocked to find the oldest Kaiba brother staring through the window of his room. He didn't motion to say or do anything; he just stared. Staring back, Serenity slowly raised her hand in a small, goodbye wave. He didn't return it, but she was positive he saw it.

With everything, her and the Kaiba brother parted with goodbyes all their own. She wished so much that one day, she would see them again. Her wish, however it may have came, was the only thing she truly wanted for. Little did she know, one day she would definitely get it; and life would bring her through hell and back along the way.

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First chapter. What did you think? I, myself, thought it was very veryy boring. But I promise it will be better in later chapters. It's going to take a lot to live up to the last story I wrote; wish em luck Toodles!

-L.I.T.D


	2. Reminiscence

Serenity stretched, the morning light falling onto her and flattering her beautiful figure. She got up, shivering slightly from the lack of clothing she wore to bed. Her tank top and short shorts clung to her body, drenched with sweat. She was having one of her nightmares again. She blew her bangs out of her eyes, brushing it off like she usually did. She glanced around her room, finding her boyfriend's clothes thrown aside carelessly as he ran to take his morning shower. Serenity smiled sweetly; he was always late for something. She walked over to the door, knocking gently to get over the sound of the water.

"Duke," she called, hoping he'd hear her. "I have to go soon. Hurry up!" Soon the water subsided, and her very wet boyfriend emerged from the bathroom with only a towel around his waist.

"Good morning to you too," he said, smiling as he kissed her fully. Serenity smiled back, pushing him away playfully.

"Duke," she said, giggling as he hugged her from behind and started kissing her neck. "I need to go to school. If I have any hope of staying in college on a scholarship, I can't afford to be late every day."

"It's your first year, they'll forgive you," he said, kissing her neck and making her shiver. Serenity found it so hard to resist, but she did have the better self control in the relationship. She pushed him away gently, laughing.

"Duke, I need to go. Not all of us have the job of our dreams and have enough money to support ourselves for another twenty years."

"You could just let me support you, Serenity," he told her, rolling his eyes. "I understand that you want to be independent, but there's a difference between independent and stubborn."

"Shut up," Serenity said, throwing her towel over her shoulder as she walked into the bathroom.

"You moved in with me so you wouldn't be a burden to your brother," he reminded her. "I took you in because I'm in love with you. You're my girlfriend, Ren. Let me take care of you until you finish school at least." Serenity smiled and stuck her tongue out.

"Never." And she slammed the door in his face.

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An hour later, Serenity emerged from the shower, feeling fresh and clean. Duke had left for work, leaving her alone in the small apartment. She flopped back on the bed, hitting her hand on the headboard as she went. She winced, cradling her hand with her other one. Looking out the window, she couldn't help but sigh. She had decided to move in with Duke, who lived in the city. Her brother and his girlfriend still lived in the suburbs half an hour away. She moved out to have a little bit of independence from her over protective brother, but she also decided that her brother deserved to take a break for the first time in both their lives.

Ever since their mother's suicide seven years ago, Serenity and Joey had been through hell and back. Through their childhood, though Serenity couldn't remember it much, they had been running from their abusive father. Serenity didn't remember him at all. He was dead now, for all she knew. Then they'd lived in the Kaiba mansion.

Serenity got up and pressed her palms to the window. Across the city, with several huge skyscrapers to show it, she saw the powerful Kaiba corp. She had lived in the mansion that had bred its president, Seto Kaiba, from age's seven to eleven. Her memories were fuzzy, but at the same time all too clear. That house was hell; she only had two refuges. One of them was Mokuba Kaiba, who had been her best and only friend throughout her childhood years. The other was Yuri, who had become her foster mother after her and Joey's mother committed suicide. Serenity had grown up happily, though her mother had barely ever made an appearance in her life for those four years. After her death, Yuri had brought her own child and them away, moving out of the city and into the suburbs. There, Serenity had lived a quiet life, full of happy memories. Joey and Yuri's daughter Mai had basically been her surrogate parents, which, Serenity figured, had led to their becoming a couple. But, as soon as Joey turned sixteen, he fulfilled the promise he had been intending to when he was fourteen. To move out and take his sister with him, therefore they would never burden anyone again. Yuri, with a heavy heart, had let them move to the apartment buildings bordering the city. It was a nice place, where she and her brother had become such close family. The minute she turned 18, Mai had moved in with them. It was such a sure thing, that they were going to be together forever. Serenity smiled sadly; she wished for something like that for herself. Everyone thought she had it already. One of the few secrets that she ever kept was that, even though Duke was so wonderful and she did love him, she didn't love him as much as he loved her. And she knew, unlike he seemed to not know, that they weren't going to be together forever. The luster was gone, the fire was gone. Eventually… everything would be gone.

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Serenity walked down the city street three hours later, her class letting out early because the teacher had some family issues. She hadn't been to the city in so long; she seemed to be getting lost at every turn. She discovered men leering at her left and right, and she couldn't' help but cross her arms over her chest. Growing up, Serenity's figure had been the envy of every girl she knew. She had always been an hourglass, and it made her self conscious. As she walked down the side walk, a car pulled up next to her. She couldn't believe this; she was starting to hate city life.

"Hey," a voice called from the car, which was starting to speed after her.

"Leave me alone," Serenity called out, increasing her speed. She heard the car park, and she heard someone get out. Wasn't anyone watching this? Why wasn't anyone stopping this?

"Would you just stop?" the voice, who she recognized as a guy's voice, called out to her.

"Drop dead," Serenity called over her shoulder, her pace not slowing down in the slightest.

"Are you Serenity Wheeler?!" the voice shouted, causing Serenity to stop suddenly. The stranger caught up with her, his hand grasping her shoulder. Serenity turned to face violet eyes, violet eyes she hadn't seen in years.

"Mokuba?"

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"I can't believe it's really you," Mokuba said, smiling over a steaming cup of coffee. "It's been years."

Serenity smiled back, swirling creamer into her coffee. "It's been seven years, to be exact."

Serenity couldn't believe how odd life was. Just two hours ago, she was lost on a city street. Now she sat in one of the most expensive coffee bars in the city, catching up with an old friend. Serenity could barely force herself to look at Mokuba. Aside from their odd reencounter, she couldn't help but notice how much he'd grown in the seven years they hadn't seen each other. Or how good looking he'd become. He wasn't as pale or skinny as he used to be. He'd grown up with some color in his skin and with a slightly muscular build. His black hair was always unruly, now was no exception, but it seemed to work for him. He'd grown seriousness in his face, but he still had that smile in his eyes. It was the same Mokuba, in a way anyway. Here they were, catching up on life. She'd forgotten how easily they could talk. She was glad that aspect of him hadn't changed.

"So, you moved out of your brother's and now…?" Mokuba asked, swirling his straw around in his soda.

"I…uh… I'm living with my boyfriend," Serenity said, not sure why it was so uncomfortable to talk about all of a sudden. Mokuba raised an eyebrow.

"Boyfriend?"

"Yeah," Serenity said, sipping her coffee. "Been going on about a year or so now."

"You haven't mentioned him this whole time," Mokuba said, smiling and leaning forward. "Tell me all about him."

Serenity felt guilty about keeping something from Mokuba; she didn't even understand why she did it. Duke just seemed to have slipped her mind.

"His name's Duke," Serenity said, sipping another mouthful of coffee. "He's one of my brother's friends. They went college together and they worked together; he just transferred here a year and a half ago. He owns a shop called 'Dungeon Dice Monsters.' Heard of it?"

Mokuba took a long moment sipping his soda. "I might have."

"Well, anyway," Serenity continued. "Joey has enough on his shoulders supporting himself, so I decided to move in with Duke. It seemed like the next step, I mean we've been dating for a while. And it's not like we aren't… intimate or anything."

Serenity usually was more reserved while discussing intimacy, but with Mokuba, she just felt that comfort that had stayed with her all these years. She looked up, and was relieved to see he wasn't making fun of her or pressing her for details. He was just listening intently.

"We've been living together for about three or four months," Serenity said. "And, it's alright."

"…Serenity," Mokuba said, sipping his soda slowly and thoughtfully. "Why'd you move in with him?"

"…I don't know," Serenity said, sipping her coffee again. "It's what couples do, isn't it?" Mokuba leaned back in his chair, downing the last of his soda.

"Not necessarily, Ren," he said, chewing on an ice cube. "The way I see it, living by stereotypes and expectations isn't any way to live." Serenity thought on what he said as she too, finished her drink.

"So how's your life, Mokuba?" she asked him.

"I can't complain. I mean, my brother's been busy since our dad died, running the company and all. I barely get to see him, but I go out enough that it's both our faults."

"I read about your dad dying in the paper a year ago," Serenity said, patting his hand. "I'm so sorry."

"It's no big deal," Mokuba said. "And once Seto started college, I barely saw him anyway. Running the company means I get to spend five minutes a day with him instead of the fifteen I used to have. It's not as if Gozaburo was my real dad, or that much of a father to me. He was the scum of the earth. I hated that bastard."

"Mokuba," Serenity said, scolding him silently. He just looked at her, causing both of them to go silent.

"So, tell me about the school situation," Mokuba said, putting a smile on his face as he changed the subject. Serenity smiled, grateful.

"It's pretty good," she said, blowing her bangs out of her face. "I just need a job, but I don't know how to do anything."

"I'm sure that's not true."

"All I can do is cook and clean," Serenity said, swirling her finger around the coffee cup's rim. "I helped Yuri around the house all those years after we moved out, and I always cook for my brother and my boyfriend. I can't do much else." Mokuba thought for a moment.

"You know, there's a shortage of staff at the house. Why don't you come and work there?" Serenity just stared at him, and then she remembered that Mokuba had no idea what her mother had gone through when they lived there. How could he? He was so young.

_So was I_, Serenity thought to herself.

"Ren" Mokuba said, pushing his face closer to hers. "Are you alright? You seem a bit pale."

"I'm fine," Serenity said, shaking her head. "I guess all that coffee just got to me. So, you want me to be a maid?"

"Not like that," Mokuba said, and Serenity saw the earnest in his eyes. "It would only be once in a while. I guess you could consider it part time, only you can choose the hours, if you want. And I'd pay you good money, Ren. I can't skimp out on my best friend." He flashed a beautiful smile, making her blush.

"So what do you say?" he asked, resembling an excited little puppy with the hope in his eyes. "We could spend more time together that way. And I won't let you work hard or let it interfere with anything. C'mon Ren, what do you say?" Serenity looked at her friend and at all the hopes in his eyes. It wasn't like she'd have to face the father Kaiba anymore; he was gone forever. There was nothing bad for her to go back to.

"Sure, why not?"

-

-

-

Serenity came home a little later then planned, but thankfully Duke was running late. She got in the shower and put on a T-shirt and underwear, letting her wet hair drip dry down her back. She started looking through her things, finally finding the small book of photos form her years at the Kaiba mansion. The earliest pictures featured Joey, their mother, and her. Serenity smiled sadly as her fingers brushed the photos of her mother. She was such a beautiful woman, her personality even more so. The pictures slowly progressed to include Yuri, Mai, and then finally Mokuba. There were so many pictures of her and Mokuba together; they were so close, almost like lovers. Serenity chuckled at the thought. The small book of pictures finally reached its end, leaving Serenity with painful, but happy memories. Her sweet, beautiful mother had gone through suffering for the sake of her children. At first, Serenity had been angry with her mother for not being able to resister the torture. But, as the years went on, Serenity just grew sadder and sadder. Her mother had given up happiness to give her kids happiness. Serenity just wished she hadn't buried herself so deep in grief; it could have been possible for her to make her way out of it. A door opening alerted Serenity, and a minute later Duke sauntered in the room.

"Hey, babe," he called out to her, sitting on the bed to take his shoes off. Serenity winced slightly; she hated when he called her that.

"Hi, Duke," she said, getting up to hug him. He instead grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him, kissing her deeply. She kissed back for a few seconds, and then tried to pull away. He wouldn't let her, pulling her onto the bed with him.  
"Duke," she said, pushing him away after a few seconds. "Honestly."

"Is kissing my girlfriend a crime?" he asked her, slightly miffed.

"No," she said. "Of course not. It's just that I figured we could, you know, talk."

"I'm too tired to talk," he said, reclining back on the bed.

"But you're never too tired for sex," Serenity mumbled, just on the verge of being pissed off. Duke turned over on his stomach to get a better view of her.

"You say something?" he asked her, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I'm going to make some dinner," she said, getting up off the bed. "Any requests?"

"Keep your pants off?" he said, grinning slightly. Serenity hit him, a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance on her face.

"I guess I'll make some sandwiches," she said, pulling a pair of shorts off the floor and onto her body. "Turkey or roast beef?"

"Neither," Duke said, pulling his shoes back on. "I think I'm going out for dinner. Don't wait up." Before Serenity could answer, Duke slammed the front door behind him. Serenity bit her lip, something she did whenever she was pissed off. She had wanted to talk to Duke about Mokuba's job offer. He hated the Kaibas as much as her brother did. Joey hated Seto Kaiba for a confrontation from when they were younger; Serenity was passed out for that. Duke just seemed to have a hate campaign going against rich people. Her brother had a hate campaign over a stupid childhood grudge, against one of the most powerful men in the world. Seto Kaiba...

Serenity leafed through some magazines she owned, and sure enough, there were pictures of Seto Kaiba. He ran one of the most powerful companies in the world, and though normally boring, he was very popular. His looks, intelligence, and young age combined seemed to have put him on par with some of the most talented actors and singers in the world. He was incredibly good looking; these glossy magazine pages didn't lie at all. Flipping through magazine after magazine, Serenity discovered that his hair had grown slightly, reaching into his eyes. His eyes were a piercing blue; though she was only staring at a picture, she could feel the intensity of his stare. She remembered that stare distinctly in her mind; it was amazing. She had only had two encounters with Seto Kaiba, out of the many years she had lived in that mansion. He had the same handsome features and same dead set stare. The only thing that had seemed to change about Seto Kaiba was his age. She distinctly remembered the times she had met him; he had known her name already, while she was just discovering half of what his name would someday mean in her lifestyle today. She had spent the night in his room at a young age, him not even glancing over once. He had done a good deed, though he looked at it as more of a way to prevent annoyance. The second and last time she had seen him was the morning of her mother's suicide. She distinctly remembered fainting and then waking up in the servant's quarters. She was the only person in that room, until she had glanced at the doorway and saw his retreating back. She remembered hearing three distinct words, so low she had to strain to hear them. "Be strong, Wheeler." It was such a sweet sentiment that he most likely did not remember in the slightest. It was an odd realization to think about. She looked down at the phone number Mokuba had scribbled across her hand before they parted ways.

"If you decide you want the job, just call me," he had said. Staring at the number, she decided that she didn't need anyone else's opinions to impact her own. She needed a job, and one had been handed to her. Who was she to say no? She reached for her cell phone on the bedside table and slowly typed in the numbers.

"Hello, Mokuba?" she said into the receiver. "It's Serenity. I'll take the job as soon as you can give it to me."

"Great," Mokuba said on the other line. Serenity could feel his smile through the phone. "When can you start?"

Serenity didn't even hesitate on her answer. "Tomorrow would be fine."

-

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-

Second chapter's done. I hope you all liked it. The chapter flow might be a little slow, since school is hectic. But I'll have as many chapters as I can out whenever I can. Serenity and Seto will meet very soon, I promise - . Ja!


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